France’s ruling Socialist party wants the parliament to recognize the State of Palestine, following similar moves by Britain and Sweden meant to bypass the current diplomatic stalemate.

Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, PLO member and General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative said Wednesday that such a vote would count as a success for the masses and for all political parties, particularly the socialist movements.

Barghouti added that the potential vote is a significant step for the Palestinians, hoping the move would bring more than just a symbolic change. He added that the recognition could potentially snowball on to other European countries, suggesting that up to seven or eight other European countries may follow in France’s footsteps.

British lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in mid-October in favor of a non-binding motion to “recognize the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution.”

The vote, which Israel cautioned would undermine prospects for peace, came just weeks after the Swedish government announced plans for a similar recognition.

The latest round of failed diplomatic efforts to forge a two-state solution collapsed in April. Palestinians now see little hope of reaching a negotiated settlement and are choosing to push unilaterally for statehood, encouraging international steps to recognize it.

“The [Palestinian] situation is so blocked that most Socialist lawmakers now believe that we must do something and that the existing positions must be shifted,” a French parliamentary source told Reuters on Wednesday. “This is a way of doing that.”

France does not currently classify Palestine as a state, but has said it would extend recognition of statehood if it believed doing so would help promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

French parliamentary sources told Reuters on Wednesday that members of the Socialist party hope to agree on a final text in the near future. Once approved, the motion may be submitted to president of both the lower house and the National Assembly, who will decide whether to put it forward for debate.

“There are still several steps still to go, but the Socialist bloc believes there has to be a parliamentary initiative on this,” the parliamentary source said.

The Palestinian Authority estimates that 134 countries have now recognized Palestine as a state.